Summer School: The Dark Tunnel Of The World
by CoolGirl89
Summary: Calvin is sentanced to summer school unless his grade is raised. Nice title, no? I might change it later.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Calvin and Hobbes. There, I said it. Let's get on with the story.  
  
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Chapter One - A Gleam of Light at the End of a Dark Tunnel  
  
"Hey?" Calvin leaned over to Susie and whispered. "Who's the guy standing next to Mrs. Wormwood's desk?" It was a bright spring morning and, for once, Calvin was a little early. As he watched all the kids file by to their desks and had swapped jokes with a few, he had noticed the man.  
  
Susie looked up from her book and rolled her eyes. "Don't you every pay attention? Mrs. Wormwood told us yesterday that a special guest would come. You were like this four years ago in first grade. I would expect you to mature a little. You are 10 years old after all."  
  
"Listen, I already get these talks from my Mom. Not you too. Just answer my question. I'll even go slowly so you can understand. Who.is.the.guy.standing...next.to...Mrs..Wormwood's.desk?" Calvin leaned back into his chair and smiled smugly.  
  
"You amaze me." Susie muttered and turned back to her book.  
  
Calvin had not changed much in four years. He still spent lots of time with Hobbes, got into trouble, had no common sense and hated girls. The only changes were that he had a friend and he wore different colored striped shirts instead of just his red one.  
  
Just then, a fat lady who was wearing a pink dress with polka-dots on it walked in. She glanced around the room smiling until she got to Calvin, at which the smile turned into a frown that was mixed with some surprise. "Calvin? Why, you are here early. Very unusual." She turned her attention to the rest of the class and stated, "Class, we have a special guest who is visiting our class."  
  
Calvin smiled and whispered loudly to his only friend, Tony, "Duh." Tony giggled and soon the entire class was in an uproar. Mrs. Wormwood tried to calm everyone down, but to no avail.  
  
She looked sternly at Calvin and pointed to the door. "Go to the principal's office right now." She ordered.  
  
Calvin slowly got up, glad to be the thorn in Mrs. Wormwood's side. As he passed Mrs. Wormwood, he heard her mutter, "One year until retirement. That's all." He did the thumbs up sign to his friends and walked out.  
  
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"Mr. Calvin, I am rather disappointed with you." Mr. Spittle was saying. "This is the third time this month you've came here on the charges of disrupting the class. Calvin, I was going to call you after school, but since you are here." He paused and pulled a file out of his desk. He removed a paper from it then continued. "What is this?"  
  
Calvin chuckled and answered. "Can't you read? It's my report card."  
  
Mr. Spittle did not reply for a minute. "Well, according to your report card, you are doing miserably in almost all your classes. For example in Math you have received a D+. In Language you have gotten a C. The only subject in whom you are a tiny good at is Art at which you have received a A-. I'm sorry I have to do this, but if your grades don't perk up, I'm afraid I will have to send you to summer school."  
  
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Later at lunch, Calvin hooked up with Tony. Tony was a lot like Calvin. He had no common sense and had a wild imagination. That was why Calvin and Tony were friends. They both agreed that other people were jerks and that girls must be related to bugs somehow. It seemed like fate had brought these two, both outcasts and misunderstood by the vast world, together.  
  
"How long do you think until Mrs. Wormwood snaps? I estimate about two more weeks, the rate you are going." Calvin, lost in thought, grunted in reply. "Hey dude, what's bugging you?"  
  
Calvin straightened up. "Mr. Spittle said that if I don't raise my grades, I'll have to go to summer school. I'm doomed!" With that, Calvin banged his head on the table.  
  
"Man, that's harsh. No goofing off, no adventures, no nothing. All you do is homework." Tony shook his head. "I'd hate to be in your shoes. Imagine what your parents will say."  
  
"Don't remind me. Maybe I should run away to the Yukon like I tried to do when I was six." After that Calvin was quiet.  
  
Tony tried to change the subject. "Hey, you know that guy that was at Mrs. Wormwood's desk this morning?" No reply from Calvin. "It turns out he's the superintendent of this private school. In four weeks, he's going to be evaluating everyone and is going to choose three people to give scholarships to. I'm guessing that Derkins girl is going to be one of them."  
  
Something in Calvin's brain clicked. Susie Derkins. That would be his ticket to passing. "Tony, you've just given me a wonderful idea."  
  
Tony looked surprised for a moment, and then straightened up. "Of course I did. What's the idea? Does it have something to Susie? Hey! Maybe we can organize a special meeting of G.R.O.S.S. (You see, Tony had become the third member of the club)"  
  
"No, I have something even better." Tony leaned forward, his ears turned to whatever the dictator-for-life said. "I'll get Susie to tutor me."  
  
  
  
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A/N: Tony has only a little bit to do with the essential plot of the story. I put him in because I originally was making this a totally different C&H story. But I was half way done with this chapter and I thought that this would be perfect for a story idea I had had. Hope that makes sense. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Calvin and Hobbes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
  
  
"Okay Calvin, I'll do it." Susie hesitantly said to Calvin, who was standing on her front door step. Calvin started to do a victory dance, but sheepishly stopped when he saw Susie go bug-eyed. Three leaves floated between the two. The hum of a leaf blower filled the air along with the smells of delicious food coming from each of the houses. It had been five days since Calvin had his brilliant idea, the reason being because Susie had been sick all weekend and the beginning of Thanksgiving week.  
  
"Thank you!" Calvin was so happy about this that he stooped down to the lowest low; to say thanks to a girl.  
  
"We'll start Saturday after Thanksgiving." Susie closed the door with a bang, leaving Calvin in shock about studying on a Saturday.  
  
"Who was that dear?" Mrs. Derkins called from the kitchen.  
  
"It was just Calvin, Mom." Susie called back.  
  
"I do hope your father comes back soon with Nana and Granddad. Was he trying to throw a water balloon at you?" Susie's Mom asked as Susie walked into the kitchen. A pleasant aroma of a pie drifted from the oven as Mrs. Derkins prepared the mashed potatoes.  
  
"No, he wanted me to tutor him for school." Susie reached into the fruit bowl, groping for an apple. Her Mom caught her hand.  
  
"You can't have an apple. We'll be eating in a few hours." Mrs. Derkins scolded with a twinkle in her eye. "It seems like only yesterday he was throwing rotten apples at you. I guess he's taking his studying seriously now."  
  
Susie eyed her Mom. "It was yesterday." She said indignantly. They both laughed.  
  
  
  
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"Mom? When will we be eating? I'm starved!" Calvin complained as he came into the kitchen with Hobbes slung over his shoulder.  
  
"Soon." His Mom was bent over a dish where she was making some mashed potatoes. "So where were you this morning?"  
  
Calvin shrugged and began setting the table in order to avoid the question. He felt the glare of his mother on him but still didn't turn. Only when his Mom cleared her throat and gave Calvin the death glare would Calvin turn and explain. He sighed and told his Mom his predicament and his solution for it. His Mom sighed. "Calvin, how many times have I told you to actually spend some time on your homework and to pay attention in class." Calvin, who had heard this lecture several times, began moving into an alternate ego.  
  
  
  
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Spaceman Spiff has been captured by the evil alien species of Zomergs. They have taken him to their interrogation room in order to gain the secret formula from our hero.  
  
"So here is the famous Spaceman Spiff." The leader of these aliens spoke from a doorway with some torture device that looked like a spoon. "Now we shall extract from you the secret formula. Guards, take him to------"  
  
  
  
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"Calvin, are you paying attention?" Calvin nodded. His Mom started to continue but there was a loud beep from the kitchen. "Ahh!! The turkey!" She stopped and ran to the kitchen. Calvin took the opportunity to slip away. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Calvin yawned a yawn so big that even Hobbes couldn't match it and was about to glance out the window when he was scolded, "Calvin! Pay attention. Don't you want to get good grades for once?"  
  
He sighed then looked back at his teacher, Susie Derkins. It was a perfect day for throwing rotten apples at girls and he was stuck inside playing school with Susie. The world outside was filled with whirling red and yellow leaves that seemed to call to him; beckoning him to the autumn. He could envision himself walking through the forest with Hobbes and maybe Tony. He might find some cool rocks or a pinecone or two to use as missiles. An "ahem" from Susie brought him back to reality. They were in Susie's attic where Susie was painfully trying to teach Calvin some basic sentences in Spanish.  
  
"Okay Calvin. How do you say 'I don't understand?" She asked.  
  
"Uh..." Calvin thought for a moment then responded. "No...uh..no understanda?"  
  
Susie shook her head, dismayed at her pupil. "No. It's 'no compredo'  
  
Calvin looked outside. "Do we have to study today? It's the perfect day for thro- I mean playing in the leaves. Besides, I promised Tony that we would have a G.R.O- I mean we would meet later."  
  
"I thought you didn't want to go to summer school. That was the whole point of you coming over. Remember?! I have other things to do too, you know." Susie crossed her arms and glared impatiently at Calvin.  
  
"Yea, like playing tea party and writing in your diary." Calvin stuck out his tongue.  
  
"I don't have tea parties anymore. And besides, I only write in my diary in the evening."  
  
Calvin's eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face. "Ooooo..we have discovered a very important piece of information Captain. It will be crucial to defeating the aliens from Pluto. It seems that they're plans are-wait, I think our communications are being tapped. Switch to Code Alpha 392 Tiger. The loggers are in the purple HQ."  
  
"Oh no you don't." Susie ran off to her room, guessing what Calvin's 'secret code' meant.  
  
"Zounds! Captain, the enemy has discovered our code and has gone to hide the loggers. Bring out the artillery." Calvin ran over to the chalkboard that Susie had been using a half-hour before to teach Calvin science and grabbed six pieces of chalk. He then galloped down the stairs and into the hallway where her room was located.  
  
"Captain, it seems that the enemy has locked itself inside its indestructible bucker. The only choice is to switch to Plan Focus Friendly." Calvin knocked on the door and said in the sweetest voice he could muster. "Susie, listen, I'm sorry about what happened in the attic. I'll pay attention now."  
  
He could hear footsteps approaching the door and then there was the click of the door unlocking. He smiled evilly. The door opened and Susie's head appeared. "Do you mean it?" She asked warily, suspecting some sort of trick.  
  
"Well.." Calvin paused then whipped out the chalk he had hidden behind his back. "No!" He threw two of the chalk pieces. One piece hit the door, leaving a white mark on the doors yellow paint. The other hit Susie on the hand.  
  
"Ouch!" Susie exclaimed and held her hand with the other. "Calvin! That hurt. I finished tutoring you. Go home."  
  
Calvin, knowing that if Susie stopped tutoring him, he would have no chance to pass, immediately changed his tune. "Please Susie. I won't do that again. I'll pay attention and be the best student ever."  
  
Susie scoffed. "Yea right."  
  
Calvin pleaded. "I mean it. No more chalk, no more daydreaming."  
  
Susie looked up, hoping for some heavenly sign that she shouldn't help Calvin. But none appeared and since she wanted to teach and secretly thought Calvin was a little cute, even though he was a huge, annoying, pine- cone throwing, bothersome jerk almost all of the time. "Fine." She said and, passing Calvin, headed back up the stairs.  
  
Calvin grinned. This pleading stuff actually worked. He was tempted to throw the chalk, just to have fun, but something inside him (he suspected later that it was the miniscule good side of him that had plagued him four years ago when he had duplicated himself) stopped those pieces of white from flying toward the back of the girl who was heading up the stairs. Who was giving him a second chance. He paused. Sure, he had been given many second chances, but somehow this one stuck out. He would have to think about this tonight in his bed and maybe talk to Hobbes.  
  
With a shake of his head, as if trying to shake out the confusing feelings inside of him, Calvin ascended the wooden steps up to the attic. 


End file.
